Established in the year 1994, Adwise Advertising is one of the leading names in the advertising sector. This agency acts as a one-stop destination, servicing customers both local and from other parts of Coimbatore. Over the course of its journey, this business has established a firm foothold in its industry. The belief that customer satisfaction is as important as their products and services has helped this establishment garner a vast base of customers, which continues to grow by the day. Some of the services provided by the agency include newspaper advertising, logo design, brochure design, radio advertising, catalogue design, and much more.
Vasanthi Ranganathan, CEO, Adwise Advertising, speaks about her vision, challenges, and much more.
Beginning with newspaper advertising, brands began to invest in television and outdoor media. Do you believe it is now time for brands to tap into the full potential of social media – or revert to the previous traditional method of advertising?
I think it’s got to be a mix of both, decided by the industry and the audience. The traditional media has evolved and goes beyond basic newspapers and outdoor advertising. In today’s offline market place, direct mail has become targetable, trackable, and even more personal than it was already considered. Statistics show that young customers prefer direct mail for making shopping decisions. One can use traditional methods and avoid the digital clutter. Digital advertising offers brilliant strategies. Along with that comes ad blocking technology, inboxes directing emails as spam or promotional ads and recipients ignoring them, and so much more. I feel that digital media should be combined with traditional media to boost the engagement of audience responses and get a better return on investment.
You have been tracking the industry for more than 25 years. What are the existing and future challenges in the media industry now?
The last two years have been a watershed in the global scenario. Socioeconomic dynamics converge with changing technology, driving innovation and competition and underpinned by changing customer behaviors, putting enormous pressure on business models. The media needs to anticipate the next change and be ready with a game plan.
The past year, 2021, was a difficult phase for all. What lesson did the media industry learn from it?
With the entire nation under lock down, death and infection staring at us, income levels coming down, and working from home becoming the order of the day, the media sector faced significant disruptions, forcing all forms of outdoor entertainment, particularly cinemas and events, to shut down and content supply chains to dry up. While the consumer demand for content skyrocketed, there was a steep decline in revenues. Innovation reaches new heights. It challenged the established norms and prompted the media to adapt and remain relevant.
How is Adwise Advertising helping brands stand out in this competitive market?
Adwise has always aligned with the client’s needs. The pandemic has forced everyone to reexamine and redefine their marketing and advertising strategies and ensure a broad base of clientele. We had a retail store client (a jeweler) who could not operate due to lockdown strictures. We designed a series of digital postcards which they used as a morale booster and sent them to their customers. They got excellent feedback once the stores opened.
Globally, business is picking up as a lot of pitches that were held back in 2020 are now happening. How much do you see Coimbatore gaining from the overall momentum?
Coimbatore has witnessed the emergence of a new wave of entrepreneurs in diverse fields, be it engineering, dairy, garments, IT industries, and a resurgence of traditional industries like pumps, spinning, textiles, and more. The industry associations have realised the importance of RD, skilled manpower development, and vendor development and are investing in resources. These industries are betting on gaining a wider toe hold across India and global markets.
Is advertising maturing and evolving? How do agencies that have spent close to 3 decades trying to see the shifts?
The advertising world has taken so many topsy-turvy turns in the past 30 years. It’s been fascinating to witness the way businesses have evolved around the world and the ad industry has kept pace and metamorphosed. Many milestones were achieved, and the biggest challenge was to keep pace with developments and adapt and change to suit the new media and audiences constantly.
What are your plans for the next 5 years?
I aim to swipe up, down, left, and right, which is what is happening in advertising. Learning and understanding new technology, as well as assisting our clients in developing and implementing their strategies
What is your take on the next generation of business in this challenging market?
They are very challenging. Either deep pockets or outstanding creativity,
What are some of the suggestions you could give to the young entrepreneurs entering the advertising space?
My suggestion is to be unique. Study the competition. Introspect how you can be different and add creative value.
I’d like to suggest some best practises you use in your agency, as well as how unique your creative ideas are.
Offering transparency, fair value, and commitment to the client’s vision is what we believe to be our USP. On the creative part, we always look at the big picture. Put in a lot of small dots. Connect them to see where it goes. We always brain storm with different research groups and are open to new thoughts and ideas. We often observe, tweak, and respond.
